Pump



Oef: 9, 1923.

1,470,099 M. P. osBoURN PUMP Filed July 30 1920 'lill Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES MILLARD P. OSBOURN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUMP.

Application led July 30, 1920. Seriall. 400,175.V

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, MILLARD P. OsotmN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a device for operating upon elastic and non-elastic uids and has reference more particularly to pumps of the hydro-centrifugal type, and pertains to the class of pumpsdisclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 400,174, tiled July 30, 1920.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a ldevice of the character above mentioned adapted yto operate upon elastic vapors, gases and the like by a positive displacement or fiow of preferably a non-elastic fiuid, such as water, mercury and the like., although an elastic fluid of great density, such as mercury vapor and the like, may be of utility instead of the non-elastic fiuid; to simultaneously compress and rarefy fiuids; to utilize Vany fiuid or combination of fluids, preferably a liquid or liquids, as a working element or working elements; to employ any energy source working element or elements, such as a velocity head or centrifugal force or the cumulative effect of velocity head and centrifugal force for acting upon one or more vapors or liquids, or lz'oth to effect compression or condensation, rarefaction or attenuation of the fluid or fluids operated upon; to obtain the greatest degree of exhaustion or vacuum obtainable with the hydro-mechanical type of device; to utilize a volumetric capacity wherein the free elastic fiuid equals the volume of the working element; to start operation automatically and without any priming or operation initiating means of any kind; to have an unlimited capacity of exhaustion; to be operated by any desired Inechanical or electrical driving means or powerunit; to reduce the number of moving parts to a minimum, namely, a single nioying element; to operate either in, submerged or non-'submerged conditions; to operate as an element of a multi-stage arrangement; to utilize large and unrestricted passages; to involve very small costs. both original and up-keep; to require no adjustment; to reduce the wear the above-mentioned characteristics which' will avoid the slip that always occurs in all fiuid entrainment processes for producing a vacuum. A device constructed in accordance with my invention is far more effective owing to a positive physical displacement or entrap-l ping of the elastic fluid, such as a vapor, gas, air or the like as well as a compression thereof during an acceleration of the working element, such as water, mercury or other suitable fluids, whle still'under the'impelling effect or force of the rotating element and not dependent upon the momentum of the water after issuing from the impeller nor upon the absorption of the energy from the water in deceleration thereof after4 leaving the impeller. Myinvention involves theidea of entrapping and compressing portions of the elastic fiuid, such as air, by a non-elastic fiuid, such as water, or a Huid of heavy density, such as mercury vapor, during the acceleration of the latter under the centrifugal action of the impeller, the water following the air in the impeller, the desired effect being completed by the time the water and air issue from the im ller. .In previous forms of devices the momentum of the water after it leaves the impeller is depended upon to entrain the air or gases to be attenuated, all the energy spent in producing the rarefactions being derived solely from the moving water after it has left the impeller. In my device, however, the force or energy necessary to produce the desired vacuum is created by and increased within the impeller itself under the impelled force overcoming the inertia of the fluid masses passing radially or centrifugally through` -the impeller. Moreover, initial compression occurs with the. movement of the water into the impeller, by reason of the head used when runningthe device submerged, and increased compression follows in accelerated radial velocity due to the centrifugal action of4 the rotatin impeller, while in the pre vious forms of pumps, compression, if any occurs, must be derived from centrifugal action only. The air is entrapped when the acceleration begins and the centrifugal force operation effected or completed here is at the point of operation where the operation of the entraining type of pump starts and obviously the former must be more effective.A In the former, while the water is `constantly accelerating no re-evaporation can take place, inasmuch as the extracted portions of .fluid are being placed under constantly increasing pressure while in theprevious types of pumps evaporation occurs at a critical int termedas the point of vapor tension.

n the prior devices the degree of vacuum is limited by the temperature of the water and the entrainment slip, and in some cases, upon the vapor tension of the elastic fluid undergoing attenuation or exhaustion, while in my type of device, the degree of vacuum is limited onlyv by the hydro-mechanical efficiency of the machine or device employed. In many of the previous structures the same will not operate until a certain amount or point of exhaustion has been reached, but my device will operate under any range of pressure'or vacuum depending on y upon the limiting factor of the construction of the impeller.

When dealing with the conversion ,of me chanical energy into high degree vacuums of elastic fluids sensible to temperature changes and vapor tension characteristics certain laws of nature must be involved, so that if kinetic energy such as centrifugal force, is being applied to water of given temperature at a greater rate than the rate at which the heat is absorbed resulting from the work done, such as compression, by the moving water, when acting on vapor at lower pressure and temperature than the critical pressure and temperature of. the Water, no vaporization of the water occurs, because the rate at which the energy, in the nature of pressure, of the water is augmented is greater than the rate of heat transmission from the compressed vaporto the water due to the temperature difference betweenv the water and vapor, and the excess sensible heat appears as superheat of the vapor and rthe pressure of the water is `above the critileel pressure at the temperature of the vapor. The principle of operation of my invention is based upon the statements made in the foregoing.

In the type of pump constructed in accordance with my invention,'annular series of nozzles and combining chambers are adjacently and concentrically arranged and rotated, whereby the working element cr medium is adapted to be acted upon by centrifugal force and be accelerated radially to entrap and compress definite volumes of air or vapor and to project the same into an annular chamber surrounding said nozzles at the instant when all the work, being performed upon the elastic fluid, is completed, the centrifugal force acting simultaneously upon the non-ela`stic and elastic fluids when passing through the nozzles or combining chambers prior to the delivery of said fluids into the receiving \chamber.

`\ My invention therefore consists of the features of novelty herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, upon which the same reference characters designate corresponding parts in the various views shown and in which; Y

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on a lane coincident with the axis of thc impel er;

Figs.l2 and 3 are fragmentar, views, in elevation, ofv parts of the impellmg means;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, in -vertical secion, of a modified form of the device; an

Fig. 5 is a fragmentry sectional view of a portion thereof, showing the relation of the parts of the impeller.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 comprises a casing 1, of generally cylindrical form, provided with a central chamber 2, also of generally cylindrical form, havin the axis thereof coincident with the shat 3, the latter beingl connected in any suitable manner to a driving unit such as an electrical motor. The chamber 2 may be surrounded by annular chambers 4 and 5, and surrounding the latter also may be provided annular chambers 6 and 7 the latter being in communication with the central chamber 2 by way of the passages 8 formed to extend through but not to communicate with the chambers 4 and 5. Intermediate the ends of the casing within the chamber 2,'and connected to the shaft 3 to rotate therewith, is mounted a circular impeller member 9, the hub 10 of which may be secured to the shaft 3 by means of a key 11 or any other suitable securing element. On each lateral face of the impeller member 9 may be provided curved radially extending vanes 12 suitably spaced in annular arrangement to provide Ipas- Sages or nozzles therebetween for the flow of fluid from the chamber 2 through such passages radially toward the periphery of the impeller. The blades 12 may diverge in thickness towards the periphery of the impeller and then converge as shown by the portion 13 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The inner ends of the chambers 4 and 5 extend toward each other and then. flare or curve radially outwardly, towards the periphery of the impeller 9, to provide annular nozzle portions'14. the walls of each of said nozzle portions converging toward each other to provide a tapered passage toward the outlet thereof and being located closely adjacent to the path of rotation of the blades 12 and on each side of the impeller member 9. n each side of the impeller'member 9, near the periphery thereof, may also be secured two annular impeller members 15 and 16, provided with curved radiall extending blades 17, similar in form to blades 12, adapted to Contact at their edges with the blades 12, so that the contactlng portions thereof form together a single intervening blade structure between said impeller member 9 and said annular impeller members 15 and 16, the spaces between such blades being hereinafter referred to as the throat of the impeller. It will be observed that the annular members 15 and 16 in cross section are curved so as to provide first a converging passage leading into the throat and then a diverging passage discharging at the periphery of the impelling device. The members 15 and 16 may be secured to the impeller member 9 by any suitable means, such as a bolt 18 passing through ap ropriate apertures provided in the mem ers 15 and 16 and the blades 12 and 17 as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing. The inwardly extending portions 19 of the annular members 15 and 16 may be provided with a. flanged portion 20 in which are formed annular grooves 21 adapted to contain water packing, the member 20 being located adjacent to the annular shoulder 22 of the casing 1, the casing being in stationary position while the members 15, 16, 19 and 20, are adapted to rotate with the impeller member 9 as a single unit. 1t will also be observed that the .blades 17 extend inwardly on the opposite sides of the annular nozzle 14 from the side upon whichthe blades 12 are located so that the annular nozzles 14 extend into and between the inwardly extending portions of the blades 12 and 17. The outlets or annular orifices of the nozzles 14 terminate or are located at the entrance of the thro-ats previously referred to.

Sui-rounding the periphery of the impellingl device may be provided an annular chamber 23 preferably formed integral with the casing 1. the casing 1 being preferably in two parts adapted to be bolted together on a median plane transverse to the axis of the shaft 3. The chamber 23 may be provided with an upper discharge passage 24 and a lower discharge passage 25, the former being adapted to conduct fluids discharged by the impeller into the chamber 23 to an overhead receptacle'wherein the elastic iluids may bc disengaged from' the non-elastic fluids or working elements asis fullyfdescribed in Iny` aforesaid copending application. When the impeller is operating sub- F wardly through the discharge connection 25 to any suitable receiving means from which the working elements mayagain be forced into the proper chambers of the pump for further use as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

The chambers 2, 6 and 7 are intended to contain the working elements, such as Water or mercury vapor, or any of the other fluids mentioned above as adapted for use as a working element. To these chambers may be connected conduits 26 and 27, such conduits being connected either from the receiving tank mounted upon the connection 24 or from a pump having its intake connected v to the receiving chamber connected to the ldischarge member 25 whereby the working element may be returned through the conduits 26 and 27 into the chambers 6 and 7 and also into the chamber 2 by means of the passages 8 communicating between chambers 6 and 7 and the chamber 2. Conduits 26 and 27 may also be connected together by a cross conduit 28, the latter being of utility to establish a balance between the two ends of the pump.

Similarly, conduits 29 and 30 may be provided to conduct the elastic fluid to be rarefied or attenuated to the chambers 4 and 5 respectively. These conduits 29 and 30 may also be connected by a cross conduit 31 also for the purpose of maintaining a balanced condition between the two ends of the pump.

Referring to Fig. 4, which is a modification of that shown in Fig. '1, the air chambers, such as chambers 4 and 5, may be made in two parts 4 and 4,the part 4 being of the same form as the inner portions of the chambers 4 and 5 and having an annular nozzle portion 14', the members 4" and 14 being formed integral with or rigidly sepeller members. Between the impeller memV ber 9 and the portions 4 and 14. may be located curved impelling blades 13 similar' to blades 13 in the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Inasmuch as the members 4 and 14' rotate with the impelling members-9' and 16', the blades 13 may be made 1ntegral or rigid with the same.. Blades 1T may be also located between the member 16 and members 4" and 14', in similar manner. 'l'he other porti-on 4' of the elastic fluid chamber being a stationary part of the casing may be provided with an annual channel 32 adapted to receive annular flanges 33 and 34 provided with water packing grooves 85, being similar in construction to the member 21 of the form of device shown in Fig. 1, the flanges 33 and 34 rotating in the channel 32 of the member 4". The remainder of this construction is the same as that shown in F ig. 1 and further description is unnecessary. vIt will be observed that in this structure, the impeller, in general, is more rigid and may be made or cast integral with passages between the blades 13 and 17' and with an intermediate passage 4--14' for the elastic gases or fluids. In addition to the above, blades 36 also may be provided in the annular spaces of the members 4 and 14', these blades being of utility to centrifugally force the elastic fluids toward the periphery of the impeller, thereby overcoming any inertia of flow of such elastic fluid when undergoing rarefaction or attenuation.

In operation, whether operating submerged or nonsubmerged, the im peller members 9, 15 and 16 rotate in circular paths and the blades connected thereto and therebetween receive water or a similar working element from the chambers 2, 6 and 7, and centrifugally force the Water radially outwardly in the passages formed between the blades 13.*' As the water passes thev annular orifice of the nozzles, a vacuum may be formed to cause the movement of elastic fluid through the chambers 4 and 5 into the nozzles 14 so that such elastic fluids will be discharged into the throats of' the impelling means. AIt will be noted that the throats converge at this point so that as the elastic and non-elastic fluids are combined, the convergence of the throats will cause the nonelastic fluids to compress the elastic fluids into a smaller volume, and as the fluids move centrifugally, the same will be accelerated radially in velocity, the work necessary for extracting the elastic fluids from the nozzles 14 will be completed at the narrowest portion of the throats. Further movement of the fluids radially centrifugally is effective to discharge or cast the mixed fluids from the impeller, the throats converging for that purpose without imposing an inertia or drag thereupon as the fluids are projected from the rotating impelling means. If the device is operatin submerged, the mixed fluids,V including e astic fluids of light specific gravity, will flow upwardly in the chamber 23 and through the discharge member 24 into any suitable receiving tank connected thereto for the disengagement of the elastic fluids from the non-elastic fluid or working element. If the device is operating non-submerged, the mixed fluids discharged into the chamber 23 will segregate therem, the elastic fluid or fluid of lighter density passing upward through the connection 24 into the atmosphere or suitable vacuum chamber, and the denser fluid, as the Water, flowing for- Ward into the lower portion of the chamber 23 and out through the discharge 25. The latter when received in a suitable receptacle vconnected to the discharge 25, may be returned as by a pump, into the conduits 26 and 27 forresupply of the working element to the rotating` impeller.

-The operation of the device in Fig. 4 is similar to that described above in connection with the device shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the nozzle portions 14 rotate with the impeller and are provided with impelling blades 36 so as to aid in causing centrifugal radial; flow of the elastic fluid toward the discharge orifices of the nozzles 14', thereby making the impeller work more efficiently.

'lVhile I have herein shown two embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood, however, that my invention is not limited to the particular details and arrange` ment of parts described in this specification and illustrated upon the accompanying drawing, but that similar constructions hav# ing other details and arrangement of parts are comprehended by the invention without departing from the spiritthereof and the scope of the appended claims.

vHaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Pat- -ent of the United States, is:

- 1. In a pump, the combination of a casing having a central chamber, a circular im# peller member rotatably mounted in said chamber, curved radially extending impelling blades on each side of said circular impeller member operative to centrifugally force fluids in said central chamber to the periphery of the impeller, impeller annuli secured to said circular impeller near the periphery thereof, and curved radially extending impelling blades on each of said Ill) annuli and connected to the blades on said circular impeller member, said annuli being curved and spaced from saidvcircular im` peller member near the periphery thereof to provide converging and diverging annular throats on each side of said circular impeller, said blades on said annuli and on said circular impeller extending through said throat, whereby an annular series of curved converging and divergin passages is provided on each side of said circular impeller member.

2. In a pump, the combination of a casing having a central chamber, a circular impeller member rotatably mounted in said chamber, curved radially extending impelling blades on each side of said circular impeller member operative to centrifugally force fluids in said central chamber to the periphery of the impeller, impeller annuli secured to said circular impeller member near the periphery thereof, curved radially extending impelling blades on eachv of said annuli and providing for a portion' of the length thereof an annular space on each side of said circular impeller member adjacent the impellng blades thereof, said annuli being curved and spaced from said circular impeller near the periphery thereof to provide converging and diverging annular throats on each side of said circular impeller member, said blades on said annuli and on said circular impeller member, extending through said throat, annular nozzles extending radially into the spaces provided between the blades on said impeller and on said annuli, said nozzles adapted to discharge into said throats, means for conducting rarefiable fluids to said nozzles and means `for receiving the fluids discharged l from said throats, said throats adapted to compress and radially accelerate the flow of uids therethrough.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto 'set my hand the 26th day of July, 1920.

MILLARD P. OSBOUR-N. 

